Very good tone indeed........I recently overhauled my 6159 after FINALLY finding a schematic online...( all new filter caps, bypass caps, new Tung Sol tubes throughout,beefier speaker cables,new coupling caps and shielded grid wires, upgraded to a 5AR4 instead of the 5U4GB etc.) Next on the list is a standby switch, since it is lacking one. This amp originally came with Jensen 12" that are long gone......upgraded to an EV 12" and a Music Man 12" in parallel. The tremolo hadn't been working which prompted the massive overhaul, now it purrs like a kitten and the tremolo rivals ANY vintage amp circuit you can come up with. Sweet goodness, I must say. This is an amp for players since collectability went out the window before I even attained it. Original purchase price: $50.00 CAD
Roughly $300.00 poured into it as well as blood sweat and tears.........lovin it. I feel I know this amp really well after all the mods and repairs.
Next mod: Ch.2 has a little too grainy top end that I want smooth out a little bit. Always something else to do. I run an Ibanez Talman TC 630 electric straight in to BOTH inputs on either channel ( via a simple splitter ) to get both low and high tones.(Three Kent Armstrong lipstick tube pickups).
Ch.1 has Bass Inputs Low and High. Volume and Tone
Ch.2 has Guitar and Accordion inputs ( believe it or not.) Volume and tone. Tube complement is accurate as per the above comment, except for a real Standby switch ) This amp dates to 1961 according to this website, not 1966 ? as above.
Also this amp has two chassis to seperate the power
tranny from the audio circuit (smart)
If any one else has this amp or a similar style...feel free to write!
Also, kudos to the folks running this website.....good stuff !!!
I have owned this amp for several years. I would love to update the caps and bring it back up to gigging status. Mine has the original Jensen "Syntox 6" C12R's. They are SO original that when I took them out to inspect them the gasket stuck to the baffle.
Also the power section bias is out of spec, it currently red-plates one 6L6.
If anyone would like to send me information on overhauling it, maybe a schematic, I will love you forever!
There's a schematic at
http://www.diycustomamps.com/images/schematics/gretch6159.gif
It's a great sounding amp but 35 watts output is a little optimistic!
— Mar 20, 2007 12:22 p.m.
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— Mar 18, 2008 8:29 a.m.